Colin Firth leads an all-star cast in this sumptuous PBS miniseries from the late 1980s, adapted from J.B. Priestley's 1965 novel about a young Yorkshireman named Richard Herncastle. Eager to see more of the world, Herncastle (Firth) joins a traveling stage act run by his uncle Nick (John Castle). His new colleagues are singers, dancers, acrobats, jugglers, and comedians, including one (Emmy nominee Laurence Olivier) whose best days are well behind him. Captivated by the group's female performers, Richard embarks upon a series of love affairs as the act tours the length and breadth of pre-war Britain.

"Lost Empires deserves a standing ovation. It delivers a story that is not dependent upon glitz, special effects, stereotype or threadbare themes. For regular watchers of 'Masterpiece Theatre' [it] lives up to the series' usual high standards of quality and innovation. And new viewers will find 'Lost Empires' to be a paradise found."Chicago Sun-Times